Beeswax (just like honey) is made by bees. The uses for both of them are many, but as far as the bees go, they mostly use them for food and protection (honey as food and beeswax to protect their larva).

Uses for beeswax are many and, in this article, we are going to talk about just a couple of them.

Keep reading this article to learn about the best uses for beeswax!

What Is Beeswax?

Beeswax is a natural wax that is made by (you’ve probably guessed it), bees. Beeswax has many uses (inside and outside of the beehive). 

Bees use natural beeswax to protect their larva or to store honey inside of the hive.

As far as the chemical composition of beeswax goes, it mostly consists of esters of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols [1]. 

People used beeswax for various things, throughout the course of history. Candles made of beeswax were extremely popular, as they burned brighter than the more regular ones made from wax (usually made from Paraffin) [2].

You can use beeswax to make your own soap.

How To Use Beeswax?

There are different ways to use beeswax in your daily life. From making DIY beauty products, shoe polish or even art to the production of soap bars and making your own moisturizing lotion. 

Do you want to polish your furniture? You’ve got it, cause beeswax can help you do just that! 

You are not satisfied with the lip balms that you can get on the market? Don’t worry, just use beeswax to create your own, homemade (and natural) balm. You can even make your own food wraps with beeswax and some jojoba oil (the ratio is usually 4:1).

Beeswax food wraps are 100% non-toxic (as opposed to regular plastic wrap). 

You can also make your own body butter, which will help you if you have problems with dry skin. Beeswax is amazing, and can be used to create many magnificent things!

This article will provide you with a couple of interesting ways in which you can use natural beeswax. 

DIY 

Here we are finally! I will now explain to you (in greater detail) how you can use beeswax in your own home and create wonderful homemade products.

If you want to make sure all of your beauty products are 100% natural, this is the way to go! 

You can use beeswax to make your own, natural cosmetics, candles and more.

Every single one of these recipes is not difficult and does not require a significant time investment. So, let’s get started!

1. Lip Balm

Lip balms that you can get on the market are not always free from chemicals and other unwanted compounds. 

If you “bee” certain that the products you use are 100% organic, then prepare yourself for some DIY! 

Making your own lip balm using beeswax, is not only easy but can also be lots of fun!  Ingredients are easy to come by, and the actual process of making it will last, at most, around 20 minutes (i.e. this recipe is not difficult at all!).

First, get yourself half a cup of beeswax pellets. The next thing that you should do is to get some shea butter (around 1 tablespoon of this butter will suffice) and coconut oil. 

These three are the main ingredients that you need to make your own balm. The next part is completely optional and includes adding essential oils to your mix [3]. 

The oil you’d use completely depends on your preference (you can go with lavender, chamomile, grapefruit, “essentially” it’s completely up to you). But, if you choose to add essential oils, make sure you don’t use more than 50 drops (which is around two teaspoons).

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl (that is heat-safe) and heat it until the mixture has completely melted (it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes). You should go with low-to-medium heat, just to make sure you don’t burn the ingredients.

Now it’s time for the optional step. After you’ve removed the bowl away from the heat, you can add essential oil that best suits your own, personal preference. Mix it in with the rest of the ingredients (remember no more than 50 drops). 

Pour the mixture into a measuring cup and you’re almost done. The only thing left to do is to carefully pour the mix from the cup into the empty balm container (tube). 

Just leave the whole thing to cool down (for about half an hour). 

Afterwards, just add the cap and you are ready to face the troubles of life “armed” with a wonderful 100% organic balm made of beeswax! 

2. Moisturizers 

The second recipe is all about how you can make an amazing moisturizer for your skin. It’s easy, and just like the previous one, does not include any hard-to-find and expensive ingredients.

If you want to make beeswax moisturizer at the comfort of your own home, here are all of the things that you’ll need to do just that: beeswax, coconut and some olive oil (yeah, it’s that easy). 

Melt the beeswax in a heat-safe bowl, together with olive and coconut oil. Remove the mix from heat and leave it to cool down (10-15 minutes should do the trick). 

Now, you can add the mineral oil of your choosing (you don’t have to, but if you want to, you can). Mix the whole thing well, and put it in a jar. And, that’s it! All that’s left is to rub this wonderful lotion on your skin and enjoy the benefits. 

Also, remember to seal the jar properly (that’s always important!)!

3. Beeswax Candles

Using beeswax to make candles is a much better alternative to using regular wax (usually made from paraffin). Beeswax burns brighter and leaves much less soot to deal with. Now, to the recipe and a detailed guide on how to make beeswax candles in your own home.

First, get yourself half a kilo of beeswax. Get half a cup of coconut oil, and prepare a jar (or in this case jars) where you want to store your candle. 

If you want to add a little bit of a nice smell to your candles you can use a number of different essential oils. What sort is completely up to you!

And finally wicks. All you need are some good wicks. 

Keep in mind that beeswax burns slower, so don’t cheap out on wicks if you want to get the best possible results.

Put the wick with the (don’t forget to attach the wick sticker to the wick tab) in the jar. Use a double boiler to melt the beeswax with the rest of the above-mentioned ingredients.

Afterwards, pour the mix into the jars. Leave the jars in a warm area so the wax hardens. If the wax hardens too fast it might break, so keep that in mind!

Benefits of Beeswax

Beeswax (just like honey) has found its use in many different areas and comes with a lot of different health benefits. 

When used as medicine, beeswax can lower cholesterol and bring about some pain relief [4]. 

In food, beeswax is most commonly used as a stiffening agent. 

Some research was done on beeswax in terms of dealing with fungal infections. The research is at this point inconclusive, but the initial results are promising.

FAQ

How Long Does Beeswax Last?

Beeswax can last indefinitely. There are numerous examples of “still usable” beeswax being found in ancient tombs.

The only thing that you should keep in mind is that it can develop bloom (powdery substance). Apart from that, there is literally nothing to worry about when considering beeswax and its expiration date (it doesn’t have one).

The Bottom Line

All good things come to an end, and so does this article. I hope you’ve enjoyed talking about some of the things that you can do with beeswax. 

Apart from polishing furniture (made of wood, of course), you can use beeswax to make lotion, food wraps, hair pomade and much more.

Make sure you buy beeswax and/or honey from local farmers because that’s the best way to ensure you’ll get 100% natural product.

“Bee” sure to post a comment,  as we welcome your insights and will use them to further increase the quality of our articles.

You might have heard someone using terms such as raw honey or pure honey or even unfiltered honey, but have you ever wondered what these terms mean? What’s the main difference between them? 

How is raw honey different from regular honey? What is raw honey? What is unfiltered honey? What is pure honey and how does it compare to other types of honey? What are the main differences between raw honey and regular honey?

And last, but not least, what are the general health benefits of eating honey?

So, if you want to hear (I mean read) the answers to all of these questions (or are just interested in one of the questions mentioned) you are welcome to continue reading this article.

Sit back, relax and let me take you on a wild ride into an extremely interesting world of honey!

Raw Honey

Before I go into details and start talking about which type of honey is most beneficial to your health, let me first tell you a little about each type of honey I will be mentioning (and comparing) in this article.

Raw honey is the essence of honey as it exists inside a beehive (precisely honeycombs). The only thing that is different (from the honey inside the beehive) is that raw honey is filtered for impurities (such as beeswax and dead bees).

And that’s it. 

Unlike other types of honey, raw honey is not pasteurized [1], which in turn makes it richer in amino acids and antioxidants (when compared to other types of honey). 

The important thing to note about raw honey (aside from the fact that it’s rich in antioxidants) is that it contains bee pollen. Why is that important you may ask? 

Well, there are people who are allergic to bee pollen, and if you are one of them, you should probably stay clear of raw honey (and possibly any other type of honey, depending on the severity of your allergies).

If you are looking to get your hands on some quality, natural raw honey, I want to suggest you check out HoneyJoy shop, as we do have some amazing, natural products.

Pure Honey

The second type of honey we will be talking about is called pure honey. So, what’s it all about?

It’s simple, pure honey means that the jar of honey labelled as such, contains 100% honey without any added sweeteners or chemicals. 

That’s really important because some manufacturers often like to add stuff like corn syrup or glucose syrup to their honey jars (mostly to lower the costs of producing honey). 

Pure honey is probably much healthier than regular honey (which can hold many artificial ingredients), but ultimately it all depends on the brand of honey you are looking to buy and the process they used to make it.

The term pure honey is too broad as it can relate to many different types of honey and many different ways of making it. 

So, if you are looking into purchasing one for yourself, make sure to check out the list of ingredients to make sure you are getting everything you wanted. 

Pure honey can be put through the process of pasteurization (which is roughly explained as heating the liquid, in this case, honey, to remove impurities).

Organic Honey

Yes, there is such a thing as organic honey, and I am going to tell you all about it (and by all, I mean everything that can be said in a couple of sentences). 

Bees use flower nectar when producing honey. Flower nectar comes from flowers (yeah, I know, but just bear with me), and flowers are often sprayed with chemicals (such as pesticides). 

With organic honey, you’ll have none of that (I mean spraying flowers with pesticides). So, when it comes to organic honey, bees only use flower nectar, from flowers that were not sprayed by pesticides [2].

Organic honey doesn’t mean it’s raw or unfiltered or unpasteurized, it just means that “no bees were harmed in making this type of honey”.

Regular Honey

Here we are at last. Regular honey (the epitome of Regular Joe if honey was human), is the most common type of honey. Why? 

Well, it’s the cheapest to make, it does not adhere to standards of other types of honey. Regular honey may contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners and other chemicals.

It’s produced in such a way where quantity means more than quality. It’s the bottom of the barrel, when talking about honey, and comes with much fewer health benefits than other types of this delicious bee-made food.

Unfiltered Honey

This type of honey is, as the name suggests, honey that has not been filtered, or is it? The true answer – no it’s not. 

The thing about unfiltered honey is that it’s never heated above 35 degrees celsius, ensuring it does not go through pasteurization (which happens at high temperatures – 75C and above).

Unfiltered honey is then filtered, mostly to remove dead bees and bigger pieces of beeswax. 

This type of honey, along with raw honey is probably the healthiest option among all other types of honey.

Raw Honey Vs Pure Honey

Raw honey is like the most natural spring water (not in viscosity, but in metaphorical meaning). It comes in two forms, filtered and unfiltered and is never pasteurized.  Raw honey is filled with natural antioxidants and healthy amino acids.

The reason why raw honey is not considered pure is that it contains trace amounts of bee pollen and beeswax (which are not considered to be honey).

Pure honey is 100% honey (meaning no bee pollen no beeswax, just honey). The way you make pure honey is by pasteurizing it and then filtering it in different ways. 

The main problem with pure honey is that through the process of pasteurization it loses much of its antioxidants and healthy amino acids. So, what’s the answer, which type of honey is better?

Raw honey is definitely more beneficial (when it comes to health) as it contains antioxidants, amino acids and much more vitamins and minerals than pure honey. 

On the other hand, if you are allergic to bee pollen (which raw honey does contain), pure honey is your best option (depending on the severity of your allergies, of course). 

Health Benefits Of Honey

Honey contains antioxidants and has a lot of anti-inflammatory properties. Raw honey, which does not go through the process of pasteurization, has more antioxidants, vitamins and minerals than other types of honey (including pure honey).

Honey may also have anti-cancer effects, as some studies have suggested.

Studies have shown that honey has anti-inflammatory properties [3]. 

Honey may also lower blood pressure and risks of heart disease (but only if it’s in its natural form, without added sugar).   

If you are looking to buy honey, try to get it from your local farmers, as that ensures you will be getting high-quality, free of added sugars and artificial sweeteners product. 

Speaking of natural, high quality, sweet honey that is produced locally (with love and care), you should definitely check out the HoneyJoy shop, as we have a variety of amazing products (including natural skincare products). 

Our raw honey is sweet and tasty and is produced with utmost care and attention. You should definitely, check it out. Anyway, back to the article.

FAQ

What Is Pasteurization?

Pasteurization is a process where different types of foods are heated (usually up to 100C) in order to prolong shelf life and to remove any (and all) unwanted pathogens [4].

The purpose of pasteurization is to destroy enzymes that contribute to the spoilage of food or bring a risk of disease. These enzymes are called proteinases, lipases, and phospholipases. 

This process is used widely in many different food processing industries. Pasteurization is also used when making regular honey.

What’s more, most kinds of honey undergo this process (including pure honey and in some cases organic honey).

What Is Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is a special type of honey made from the flower nectar of the manuka bush (mostly found in Australia and New Zealand).

What makes manuka honey stand out (amongst all other types of honey) is its special resistance to bacteria and its antibacterial properties. 

Studies have shown that manuka honey attacks harmful bacteria that are associated with different types of gum and mouth diseases (including gum inflammation, tooth decay, and more).

Manuka honey is also used in medicine. 

Shelf Life Of Honey?

Honey comes with an unlimited shelf life. But, there’s a catch! It needs to be stored properly. 

If not stored properly, honey can spoil. 

Is Raw Honey Safe To Eat?

Raw honey is absolutely safe to eat and has a lot of healthy benefits. Unlike other types of honey, raw honey has a lot more antioxidants and is much richer in vitamins and minerals.

This type of honey is natural and does not contain any added sugars (or artificial sweeteners, or corn syrup), that some manufacturers of honey use in order to lower the cost of production.

The only ones who shouldn’t be eating raw honey are people who are allergic to bee pollen (because raw honey contains trace amounts of bee pollen as well as some beeswax). 

Trace amounts of these substances are nothing to worry about, as they cannot harm your health (and are much safer than added sugar, which some companies use to cut costs).

If you want to get yourself a natural treat (filled with nutrients) that is as close as it can be to the honey from the hive, you should definitely look into buying a jar of raw honey.

The Bottom Line

We’ve talked about different types of honey (including raw honey, manuka honey, and many more). 

Manuka honey is used in medicine as well as in the food industry. 

Raw honey is the healthiest out of all other types of honey as it has the most nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. This is because it’s not pasteurized (the process of eliminating enzymes that may lead to food spoilage). 

Before we go, I would like to remind you to always check the label before purchasing any type of product (especially when it comes to honey). 

Labels on products can often “bee” misleading, so be sure to check out the label on the jar of honey you’re looking to purchase!   

Honey has been a part of the human diet for thousands of years [1] and is proven to have a lot of health benefits. There are many types of honey and as many types of bees that make them.

You’ve probably heard someone mention raw honey, but you’ve never been interested in figuring out what it is, until now.

Well, it’s your lucky day, cause this article is all about that sweet, and raw honey! 

So, sit back, relax, and let’s get started with answering some questions about raw honey.

Raw Honey

As we all probably know, bees (specifically honey bees) are the ones responsible for making honey. Bees produce honey by using floral nectar [2]. 

Now, that we got the basics out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what raw honey is. 

Raw honey is often described as honey in its natural form, without the addition of other substances or ingredients. This honey is much easier to make because there is essentially only one thing that needs to be done before it’s ready for consumption.

When honey is extracted from honeycombs, pure raw honey is strained over a cloth in order to get rid of impurities (such as dead bees and beeswax). Why? Because, I guess, no one wants to eat dead bees (or am I wrong?). 

This honey comes with all the health benefits and substances that can only be found in honey “as it exists in nature” (this means no added flavours, sweeteners or anything else that manufacturers of honey are using to cut costs). 

Raw honey is extremely beneficial when it comes to the overall health and wellness of your body. Don’t believe me, then try it for yourself!  

Regular Honey

Making regular honey is quite different from making raw honey, as it involves a number of steps to prepare it properly.

There is pasteurization, which is done by applying heat to honey. During the process of pasteurization, the yeast in honey is destroyed, which in turn increases the shelf life of the product as well as its smoothness.

This type of honey often goes through the process of filtration that removes any (and all) impurities. The downside of this process is that (in some cases) filtration also removes healthy substances that honey contains (like amino acids and antioxidants).

Some manufacturers like to add artificial sweeteners and other chemicals, which additionally decreases the health benefits of natural honey.

Health Benefits Of Raw Honey

As mentioned above, pasteurization (a process that regular honey goes through) can reduce the levels of antioxidants in honey (or completely destroy the substances responsible for antioxidant properties). 

There hasn’t been enough research done on honey, but it’s proven that pasteurization destroys antioxidants in other products (like milk) [3]. 

So, to get the most benefits from honey, you want your product to be as raw as possible, without any added ingredients (like artificial sweeteners and others). So, what are the health benefits of raw honey?

Well, first of all, raw honey contains bee pollen, bee propolis and royal jelly, and (as mentioned above) a bunch of antioxidants. 

Antioxidant Properties

Eating products that contain antioxidants may reduce the risk of a number of different diseases (including heart diseases, cancer and strokes) [4]. 

Raw honey is filled with antioxidants making it a great source for all of your antioxidant needs. 

If you’d like to get your hands on some great natural and local honey, make sure to visit the HoneyJoy shop and check out some of our products. 

Lowers Blood Pressure

The antioxidants in raw honey can reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart attacks. 

Wound Dressing Properties

As far as Ancient Egypt, people have been using honey for its wound healing and anti-bacterial properties [5].

For thousands of years, honey has been used for wound dressing (now, less so, but that still doesn’t undermine the benefits of honey when it comes to wound dressing). 

Lowers Triglycerides

High levels of triglycerides are a risk factor when it comes to heart disease. Honey lowers triglycerides and is a great and “sweet” way to improve your overall health and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Raw Honey VS Regular Honey

We’ve talked a little bit about raw and regular honey, but now it’s time to put them against each other. It’s time for the ultimate face-off! Are you ready? 

Antioxidants are one of the main sources of numerous health benefits (some of them I’ve mentioned above) of honey.

So, it goes without saying that you’d want your honey to have as many antioxidants as possible. 

Raw honey has you covered in that department as it does not go through the process of pasteurization (which lowers or completely destroys the substances with antioxidant properties).

Regular honey has fewer antioxidants (when compared to raw honey) making it less healthy in the eyes of many health and wellness professionals (and regular people like me). 

I guess round one goes to raw honey (that was anticlimactic). But now it’s time for round two!

Regular honey can sometimes contain artificial sweeteners (not always, but sometimes, as it’s a great way for manufacturers to cut costs). Raw honey has none of it. It’s 100% natural honey, made by bees! 

Round three!

Raw honey contains bee pollen which some people are allergic to. You can find regular honey without bee pollen making it safe for people who are allergic to it. 

So, if you are allergic to bee pollen you should definitely avoid raw honey. Round three goes to regular honey, but only because some people are allergic to bee pollen. 

If the world was a perfect place raw honey would win 3-0, but it’s not, which makes the final score 2-1 (not bad raw honey, not bad).

FAQ

Is Raw Honey Safe To Eat?

Short answer, yes, absolutely, 100%, unless of course, you are allergic to bee pollen. It’s not only safe, but it has a lot more antioxidants and minerals, than regular honey. It is also free from added sugars and any other types of sweeteners.

Some studies have also shown that honey may help with different types of cancer [6]. 

Raw honey is highly recommended as an anti-inflammatory agent by many physicians and other health professionals

What Is Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is a special (and expensive) type of honey. Manuka honey is made by the bees that pollinate the manuka plant (a plant that is native to Australia and New Zealand). 

What makes Manuka honey special when compared to pure honey and/or organic honey is its exceptional anti-bacterial features. 

What Is Organic Honey?

Well, simply put, organic honey is made without the use of pesticides. Or, to be more precise, the plants the bees use to make honey are not being sprayed by any nasty chemicals. 

What Is Pure Honey?

Pure honey means that the jar of honey you bought only contains honey and absolutely nothing else (like artificial sweeteners, chemicals or industrial honey). 

The Bottom Line

We’ve talked a little about raw and regular honey. We’ve also mentioned a plethora of benefits to your health that come with eating raw honey.  

Raw honey may also have a positive effect on people when it comes to lowering blood pressure and preventing risks of heart disease.

Honey may also be a great substitute for sugar (if you are suffering from diabetes). 

If you are keen on getting some natural honey for you and your family (and getting all the benefits that come with it, as well as satisfying your “sweet tooth”) HoneyJoy is the place to visit. 

Succulent plants (or succulents) are plants that usually have thickened parts, that are specially designed to retain water. They usually grow in arid areas or soil [1].

Succulents have fleshy leaves (think of aloe vera). It’s not easy to propagate, but if you put some effort, care, and patience into it, you will find the whole propagation of succulents process extremely worthwhile. 

In this article, I will tell you how to propagate succulents with honey. There are only 5 steps, and, if you are into botany, this whole process will be super easy.

Propagating Succulents With Honey

1. Preparation

So, like with any other process, before you start to propagate your succulents it’s extremely important to do all of the necessary preparation. 

You can propagate your succulent plants by using a stem or a leaf-cutting.

At the end of the day, the choice is completely up to you, and, as far as I know, there isn’t much difference between these two methods of propagating (I am of course talking about stem or leaf cuttings).

Leaf-Cutting Method

Before you start propagation, you first need to get a couple of leaves from your succulent plant.

Pick off a couple of leaves from the base of the plant (jade plants are probably the easiest succulent plants to propagate). 

While trying to remove the leaves make sure you don’t accidentally uproot your precious succulent plant because that would be really bad. 

Be extremely careful, and gentle when plucking a whole leaf (or leaves if you want to have a higher success rate) from your succulent plant.

The best way to do it is by gently twisting the leaves until they simply come off.

Stem Cutting Method

If you choose to go with the stem cuttings in order to propagate your succulents, make sure to use equipment that you’ve properly cleaned beforehand (like scissors or a shear). Try to make a clean cut (with your clean equipment).

Aim for a piece that is located just above the leaf node. You can cut the extra stem of the mother plant, or just go for the new shoot (it’s up to you).

2. Drying Process

Now, is the part where I tell you what to do with your cuttings (leaf or stem) before you put them in the soil. 

Botany wouldn’t be botany if you could just put the cuttings into the soil. It requires time and patience, but at the end of the day, it can be extremely rewarding. 

So, you’ve got your succulent cuttings and are wondering what you should do next? 

The next step is to dry your succulent cuttings (leaf-cuttings for stem cuttings). If you try to put the cuttings into the soil before you dry them, there is a high probability that they will rot.

Luckily for you, this process is extremely easy to do and does not require much work (if any). Just take your stem cuttings (or leaf cuttings) and place them in direct sunlight to dry out. 

Leave them in direct sunlight for between 3-4 weeks or until the cuttings start to callus at the end (which usually takes around 3-4 weeks. So just leave them for 3-4 weeks and don’t worry about the callusing part). 

The formation of callus will prevent infections from forming in your leaf or stem cuttings and will make them less susceptible to rotting.  

You have to wait for at least 3 weeks, which leaves you enough time to prepare the potting mix. 

To do that you should use the succulent soil potting mix. 

3. Honey Dipping 

Now, the part you have all been waiting for: how to propagate succulents with honey!

The reason why you should propagate succulents with honey lies in the fact that honey has exceptional antiseptic and anti-fungal properties [2]. 

In a nutshell, it means that honey will keep bacteria and fungi from forming on your precious leaf or stem cuttings. Some people even argue that honey can promote root growth in the cuttings of your succulents.

Before you start to dip your cuttings into honey make sure you get your hands on one of the best Australian, pure raw honey on the market. 

Open the jar of raw honey and dip the leaf or the stem cutting into it. You should aim to create a thin layer of raw honey that covers the cuttings of your succulents. 

Now, don’t go burying your cuttings! Instead, what you should do is to put them on top of the soil. 

4. Rooting 

Next thing that you should do, is sprinkle them (or mist) with water (but don’t water them directly!). You should do this for two days straight, once a day. 

If the soil starts to get dry, continue with the sprinkling, but be careful not to overdo it. Small roots should start to grow in a couple of weeks, but only if you do everything with patience (if you are into botany you will be extremely familiar with the term patience!)

The rooting time may vary and there are many factors that come into play. 

The season, the climate and even the type of succulent can determine the length of the rooting process (the time it takes for the roots to form, generally speaking).

You can speed up the process by using synthetic rooting hormones. But, if you opt-out for the synthetic rooting hormones you will forgo the most important part of botany, which is patience! 

Using honey as a natural rooting hormone, may prolong the process of forming roots, but will also make your cuttings less susceptible to rotting (because honey has anti-fungal properties).

And, if your cuttings start to rot, you will have to make new ones by once again “dismembering” the mother plant.

5. Transport

It’s been weeks (maybe even months) since you’ve got your stem cutting (or leaf) and started this whole amazing journey.

You choose to propagate succulents with honey, which increases the waiting time but also increases the rate of success (because honey is one of the best natural rooting hormones). 

Let the roots of your new plants form properly and strengthen for at least a couple of weeks. One you are certain the root is developed, take your baby plants (obviously remove the old leaves) and plant them in a pot.

Pot should be filled with succulent soil mix, but if you’ve followed this guide you’ve already done that weeks ago (patience is the key!). Now it’s time for some special care and attention that your new succulents deserve!

Once you’ve moved your succulents into a pot, be sure to keep them in a shade for at least a few days, while slowly acclimating them to direct sunlight. 

Succulents are one of the most beautiful plants in the world, so be patient and you will get to enjoy the full benefits of propagating succulent plants by having a bunch of them in your home.

FAQ

Can I Use Honey as a Rooting Hormone?

Yes, you can use honey as a rooting hormone. 

Honey is probably one of the best natural rooting hormones and because of that is used by many.

Using honey as a rooting hormone is a great idea, as honey has natural properties that can fight fungal and/or bacterial infections (that can lead to rotting). 

What Is the Best Plant for a Honey Propagation?

When it comes to succulents, the aloe vera plant or jade plants are widely considered to be the easiest to propagate if you use honey.

If you follow the steps above, and get the right soil mix for succulents (specially made for propagation) you won’t have any problems at all.

The Bottom Line

Honey is not just great for propagating succulents, but it can also promote root growth and will protect the cuttings from your succulents from fungal and/or bacterial infections (which lead to rotting).

Honey is considered by many as the best natural rooting hormone that will provide your succulents with as much rooting aid as they need [3].

Propagating succulents requires patience and care, but can be gratifying. From the moment the first roots start to show, to the forming of leaves, to leaving your plant to bask in the sunlight in all its glory, it’s all worth it!

The question posed by every member of the human population (not really, but I wanted to start this article with a bang!) – Can honey go bad? 

That’s what I am here to answer. 

In this article we are going to talk about honey, how long can it last (if stored properly) and does honey expire at all. 

As a super-food, honey has been around for thousands of years (and will be around for thousands more, probably). 

Honey

Honey (as most of us know) is a sweet substance that is made by bees. To make honey, bees use flower nectar (from different types of flowers). 

Flower nectar is a watery solution made of sugars that are called fructose, glucose, and sucrose [1]. 

When the nectar is collected, salivary enzymes of bees are added (by the bees, of course) to begin the breakdown of nectar and in order to create the sweet substance we now call honey.

These enzymes are made by the bee’s hypopharyngeal gland [2]. 

Now, after a little info about honey (and how it’s made), let’s talk about the meat of the article, and try to answer the question – Can honey go bad?

Can Honey Go Bad?

Honey is considered to be a super-food and as most of us know, it can last a long, long time. But, the question now remains, what’s the expiration date of honey?

Well, the answer is thousands of years (sealed jars of honey were found in Egyptian tombs, and were still safe to eat). The secret behind this long shelf life is storage (more specifically proper storage of honey) [3]. 

How Long Can You Keep Your Honey Jar?

The answer to this question is simply – for years (maybe even decades). If properly stored, honey can (and will) last you a long time. 

Because it’s primarily made up of sugars (around 80% depending on the type of honey), honey is one of the most stable types of natural foods in the world. 

Now, if you choose to opt-out of getting natural honey, and instead buy yourself one of those “production lines” made in factory jars, you should keep a lookout for the “best by” date.

Big companies often add artificial ingredients to their honey (sweeteners, usually ) which in turn leads to having a “sweeter” product, that does, unfortunately, have an expiration date. 

So, if you get yourself a jar of natural honey, and you want it to last as long as possible, here are a few things that you should keep in mind.

How To Know If Honey Has Expired?

Technically, natural honey can never, ever expire. But, if you don’t have one of those (meaning you bought a honey jar that has added sweeteners in it), there are some signs that you should look out for. 

The first sign that “something is wrong” with your honey, should be a noticeable change in colour. Your honey will become darker and may start to lose its original flavour and aroma.

While this does not necessarily constitute a health risk, I would be remiss not to advise you to get another jar. 

If your honey was exposed to moisture (or just water) it may undergo the process of fermentation. The worst-case scenario is that because of moisture, bacteria start to develop inside your honey jar.

Is Eating Old Honey Safe?

If all of the above-mentioned things (mostly regarding proper storage and honey being natural) are “check off”, then as far as safety goes, there is nothing to worry about. 

Even though the flavour and aroma (and texture because of the crystallization) might be different and to some less appealing, it is still considered safe to consume.  

If water has somehow contaminated your honey container, there is always a risk of bacteria forming in it (i.e. you didn’t properly store your jar). If that’s the case, I would always argue on the side of caution and advise you to just buy yourself another jar.

Shelf Life of Honey

If you store it properly, natural raw honey has an almost indefinite shelf life! Keep it away from moisture, direct sunlight and don’t add any water to it (and this goes without saying, but don’t leave your honey jar open!).

If you follow those steps, your honey jar should last for a lifetime (honey is a great treat to leave your grandchildren). So, technically speaking, natural honey does not have an expiration date (making it a super-food).

The only reason why honey would spoil is improper storage. 

The best place to store honey would be a cool environment that is free from moisture. Honey can last for a long time (it essentially does not expire), which makes it the world’s most famous super-food. 

FAQ

How to Properly Store Honey?

It’s easy, and there are only a few steps to follow if you don’t want your jar of honey to spoil.

First, make sure the container (the honey is stored in) is sealed tightly. This means that you should always make sure the lid is tightly screwed on.

The second thing you should be aware of is to keep the container the honey is stored in (in most cases that would be a glass jar) away from any moisture. 

You should keep your jars of honey in a dry and cool place, away from moisture and direct exposure to sunlight.

The third thing you should know is that you should never add water to your honey. Adding water to honey is one of the most common reasons it goes bad.

Never add water to honey if you want to store it for a long time.

And, the last thing you should keep in mind in order to properly store honey, is that it should not be stored in metal containers (as it may lead to oxidation).

What Are the Health Benefits of Honey? 

There are many benefits that come with eating honey (but only if that honey has no added sugar or artificial sweeteners). 

Some research has shown that honey may have anti-cancer effects [4]. Honey has anti-inflammatory properties and is a great source of antioxidants.

Honey doesn’t spoil, which is why it’s considered to be a super-food.

Honey may also lower the risks of heart disease, as it was proven to lower blood pressure. Because honey is acidic, it’s essentially great at warding off (or destroying bacteria). That is why it’s used in medicine, as a means to treat wounds (usually burns).

The Bottom Line

We’ve almost reached the end of this article. So, for those who’ve just scrolled to the bottom (without reading anything) let’s give you a quick rundown of the things we’ve talked about. 

Honey never spoils! Or, to be more precise, natural honey does not spoil. Some manufacturers tend to add sugar (or other types of artificial sweeteners) which may lead to spoilage and honey having an actual expiration date. 

Don’t use metal containers to keep your honey in, as it may lead to oxidation (which could change the taste or colour of your honey).

A tale as old as time, a battle of two titans, a question asked by millions of people (and, apparently you): Is honey healthier than sugar? 

If you are looking for an answer to that question, you have come to the right place.

If you just don’t care and are looking to read something because you are bored, you are still welcome to stick around until the end of this article.

I will talk about honey and sugar, all the health benefits each of these two products have, and, I will try to answer the question posed by the title of this article. 

So, sit back, relax (maybe have a cup of tea or just plain water) and join me in this journey where we try to figure out if honey is healthier than sugar.

Honey And Sugar

Honey

Honey is a substance predominantly made by honey bees (I say predominantly because there are some industrial made types of honey that are exclusively man-made). Honey is sweet, viscous and contains a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals [1]. 

Honey bees make honey by using floral nectar (that comes from plants) [2]. After making honey, bees store it in a wax structure, which we all know as the honeycomb. 

Now, we all know honey is sweet, but have you ever wondered why? Well, if you have, the answer is quite simple – because of fructose and glucose (both are types of sugars). Fructose is also known by the name of fruit sugar (cause it’s mostly found in fruits).

Glucose is the most important energy source for all living organisms [3]. 

One tablespoon of honey contains around 60 calories. Technically speaking, honey has more calories than sugar. 

But, where these two substances differ, is the fact that apart from calories (that both products have in abundance), honey also contains healthy amino acids, and much more.

Sugar

Sugar is the most common name for a type of carbohydrate that are used in food. Sugar (that we use in our food) is usually composed of two substances – fructose and glucose. 

Sugar is made from sugarcane or sugar beets (most commonly). It’s common knowledge that sugar is not the healthiest option (when compared to other food). It has no additional nutrients (except for carbohydrates). 

One tablespoon of sugar contains around 50 calories. Sugar is 100% sucrose which means it’s made from glucose and fructose.

The fact that sugar is a carbohydrate, makes it an ideal source of energy (that, unfortunately, burns fast. We’ve all heard about sugar crashes). 

The most commonly used in many households is white sugar. White sugar does not contain any dietary fibres, fats or protein (and can negatively impact your weight). 

Many studies have shown that excessive intake of sugar-filled drinks (or foods) can be the main cause of type 2 diabetes [4]. It’s made of two carbohydrates (has one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose).

The main conclusion from this research is that eating high amounts of sugar can negatively impact your body, your weight and your health. 

If foods filled with sugar are the main part of your diet, you might want to consider switching to a more natural and healthier source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals (like honey).

Honey VS Sugar – Diabetes

When it comes to people who suffer from diabetes, the age-old battle of honey vs sugar takes a completely different turn. Why? Well, people who suffer from diabetes don’t process sugar in the same way people without it do.

People who have diabetes have a lack of insulin (responsible for moving sugars into muscles and other cells). That makes them susceptible to having high blood sugar levels (sugars stay in their bloodstream, instead of going to cells and becoming a source of energy).

So, what’s the take from all of this? Well, it’s that people with diabetes can’t eat the same amounts of sugar as we all can. Why? Because their body does not process sugars in the way the body of a healthy individual does.

That leads us straight to the question – Should people with diabetes eat honey instead of sugar? 

The answer is not that simple, it’s yes and no at the same time. Yes, because honey is infinitely better for your health and has anti-inflammatory properties. And, no because it’s still a carbohydrate-based substance that contains glucose and fructose. 

But it’s not a definite no, it’s more of a eat in moderation type of no. 

Honey is sweeter than sugar and has more calories per one tablespoon. But, what it also has is more nutritional value and health benefits.

So, the conclusion is, that for people suffering from diabetes honey is a much more welcome addition to their diet (adding honey to your tea might do the trick). Daily intake of honey may be beneficial for your body [5].  

If you are looking to purchase honey and get all the benefits that come with eating it, be sure to check out the HoneyJoy shop (we have some amazing products on offer, including natural raw honey and a lot of natural beauty products). 

FAQ  

What Are The Health Benefits Of Honey?

The main benefit (and the reason why most people consume honey) is that it’s filled with antioxidants. 

Regular honey contains fewer antioxidants than raw honey because it undergoes the process of pasteurization.

Research has also shown that honey can have a positive impact on your blood pressure (i.e. it lowers your blood pressure) [6]. 

Some say that eating honey on a daily basis can lower the risk of some types of cancer.

What Is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is the type of honey that most closely resembles the honey inside the beehive. This type of honey is made by filtering the honey from honeycombs in order to remove impurities (such as beeswax and dead bees).

It does not go through the process of pasteurization which makes it richer in antioxidants (when compared to regular honey) and has trace amounts of minerals and vitamins. 

Some industrial-made honey has small amounts of corn syrup added to it (mostly to lower the cost of production). That’s why this type of honey is a much more viable option, for your “sweet tooth” and your overall health.

How Does Honey Impact Your Blood Sugar?

Simply put, it raises it. Honey has a lower glycemic index (when compared to regular sugar). 

The Glycemic index measures how fast a carbohydrate can raise your blood sugar levels. 

The Glycemic index of honey is a little bit lower than the GI of sugar (58 compared to 60 for sugar). What that means is that both honey and sugar raise your sugar blood levels quickly.  

What Is Sucrose?

Sucrose is a scientific name for table sugar. Sucrose consists of one glucose and one fructose molecule.

Sucrose is used to make sucralose, which is the main ingredient in many artificial sweeteners. 

What Is Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is a special kind of honey made from the nectar of manuka plants. It has a lot of anti-microbial properties, which is why it’s used in medicine.

The Bottom Line

We’ve come to an end of the age-old tale of honey vs sugar! Who won? Which product is more beneficial to your health? Well, it’s obviously honey (I mean, did you read the article at all, or did you just scroll down to the end?).

Honey may positively impact your blood pressure. Honey has trace amounts of minerals and vitamins. 

White sugar does have fewer calories per one tablespoon when compared to honey. But, what it does not have are all the other nutrients (like protein, vitamins and such). 

Like with most foods and food products, honey should be taken in moderation (if you want to keep your weight where it is).  

The maximum amount of honey you should take (per day) is 50 ml (honey does have a lot of calories, so be careful).

We’ve all been there. Staring at the glass jar of honey (now filled with crystallized honey) and trying to figure out how to return it to its original form (i.e. liquid state). 

Well, if you’ve been wondering about this exact question (how to decrystallize honey?), wonder no more (I’ve got you fam!). In this article, we are going to talk to you about some of the best (and easiest) ways of decrystallizing honey.

So, sit back, relax, and let me tell you all about how to decrystallize honey!

Decrystallizing Honey

Before I start telling you about different ways you can rid yourself of crystallized honey, let me first tell you that the method you use will be dependent on the type of container your honey is stored in.

So, for example, a method that will work for a glass jar of honey, might not be ideal for a plastic bottle (the answer to that will be explained later in great detail). 

Before you start doing anything, make sure your container of honey is appropriate for a particular method! 

I don’t want you putting plastic bottles of honey in your microwave (like really, don’t do that!)!  

How To Decrystallize Your Jar Of Honey?

So, here we are, finally. 

There are a couple of methods, and you should use the one that best suits your needs. The important thing is that all of them will give you the same result – decrystallized honey!

1. Water Bath

This method is as simple as the name “water bath” suggests (and yes it does involve hot water). There are a couple of steps that you should follow to get your honey back to its original liquid state (No more crystals for you!).

All you really need is a way to boil water (tea kettle, stove, anything you have on hand) and a big enough container that you can put your jar of honey in. 

After boiling some water, pour that water inside this container. The next thing you should do is just put the jar of honey inside the container (now filled with warm water). 

Ok, now what? You just have to wait for the honey to decrystallize. Depending on the amount of honey, the processes can last a while. 

With this method, there is a chance that the warm water will cool off before the honey is completely decrystallized. If that’s the case, don’t worry!  

All you have to do is put on another pot of water, heat it up, and pour it into the container with the jar of honey.

Essentially, you have to make sure that the “water bath” you are giving to your jar of honey, is warm enough. 

If you manage to keep the temperature up, you will have your liquid honey back in no time!

If you remove the lid and stir the honey (inside the jar) you might reduce the time it takes for the crystals to separate. 

2. Heating Honey In A Microwave

Should you do this? I mean, it’s up to you. If you are sure your container is microwave-safe then most definitely, as this will require far less time to decrystallize honey, than the “water bath” method (it is a microwave after all).

I can’t stress this enough – before heating honey in the microwave make sure your container of honey is microwave-safe!

This method will decrystallize honey much faster. However, if you overdo it, you might burn it and in doing so, essentially destroy all the healthy minerals and beneficial enzymes. So, be extremely careful when choosing this method!

Plastic Bottle Of Honey

If you have a plastic bottle of crystallized honey and you want to decrystallize it, you have to be extra careful. Why? Because the two above mentioned ways of decrystallizing honey both involve heat.

And heat (as we all should know) can melt your plastic honey container. So, what does that mean? Well, essentially you would be eating plastic alongside your favourite brand of honey.

So, when dealing with a plastic bottle of honey you should be mindful of a few things. If you choose the “water bath” to turn your solid, crystallized honey liquid again, make sure not to overdo it with the heat (you don’t want the plastic to start melting).

If water is too hot, the plastic will start to melt, so make sure the water is not boiling!

Now, as far as heating your plastic container of honey in a microwave, I wouldn’t advise it (unless you know for sure, the bottle is microwave-safe).

FAQ

Should You Decrystallize Raw Honey?

The closest thing you can get to honey that is straight out of the beehive (that means no added sugar!) is raw honey. Raw honey is a special type of honey that comes with more benefits than other types of honey.

Because raw honey does not go through the process of pasteurization it has much more beneficial enzymes, than other types of honey [1]. 

Pasteurization is the process of heating things up and to decrystallize honey you also need to heat things up. Be careful though because there are some drawbacks. 

Heat can essentially destroy the beneficial enzymes and minerals. And why is that important? 

It’s important because those enzymes and minerals are precisely the reason why raw honey is considered to be the healthiest type of honey. 

So, if you choose to put your jar of raw honey into hot water, make sure that the water is not too hot (don’t put it in boiling water!). 

Is Crystallized Honey Safe To Eat?

The answer to this question is 100% yes! The only reason why you shouldn’t eat crystallized honey is if you don’t like eating it, that’s all. 

Believe it or not, there are some people who actually prefer eating crystallized honey. Why? Well, it’s easier to spread on toast and it’s kind of crunchy.

How To Prevent Honey Crystallization? 

Technically you can’t. Honey is always in a process of crystallization because the molecules of fructose and glucose (which make up a big chunk of honey, around 80%) tend to crystallize at all times. 

So, now you know that honey will always crystallize, and there is nothing you can do about it or is it (actually there is)?

You can’t stop the crystals from forming, but what you can do is slow the whole process down by doing just a couple of things.

Honey tends to crystallize faster at temperatures below 10 degrees celsius. The best way to combat this is to keep your honey at temperatures above that (the ideal would be room temperature).

If you want to properly store your honey, make sure it’s always in a place that does not go below 10 degrees celsius!

How To Properly Store Your Honey Jar?

There are a few steps that you should follow if you want your honey to be stored properly.

If you properly store honey, you will postpone (or slow down) the formation of crystals (that glucose and fructose are responsible for).

The first step is to make sure your lid is tightly sealed (this is common knowledge, but still). 

To ensure your honey is properly stored, make sure you do not expose it to direct sunlight.

The temperature of the room you store your honey should not be below 10 degrees celsius. Crystallization tends to accelerate at temperatures below that.

The place you store honey should be cool, but not “refrigerator cool”. 

Another important thing, when it comes to storing honey is to keep it away from any moisture. Glass jar is probably the best container that you can use for your honey.

Storing honey in metal containers may lead to oxidation, so it’s advisable not to do that [2]! 

Honey in plastic bottles is still great, but I personally prefer a glass jar. Ultimately it’s up to you, where you want to store your honey (just don’t use metal containers!).

Why Does Honey Crystallize?

The reason why honey crystallizes lies in the fact that honey is essentially concentrated sugar. 

Honey will always crystallize because it’s a solution made up out of around 80% sugar and 20% water. 

Over a period of time, this “sugar” (in honey) will start to “leave the water behind”, which leads to the formation of crystals. 

When honey crystallizes, it gets a more “solid” form, but it’s still completely safe to consume.

The Bottom Line

We’ve talked a little bit about how to decrystallize honey. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed the article, and that you will use the tips mentioned above to decrystallize honey in your own home. 

As a reminder, one of the best methods to decrystallize honey is to put your glass jar (or plastic) in a pot filled with hot water (but not boiling water!).

Why does honey crystallize? Does it have something to do with pollen (made by bees)? 

The fact is that honey crystallizes naturally. There is nothing we can do to stop that completely, but we can postpone it (or reverse the whole process, which we will talk about later in the article).

But, before we begin, let me remind you to check out some delicious honey we have on offer in our shop.

Crystallized Honey 

Honey is made by bees, and they do so by using flower nectar. Flower nectar is a watery solution that is made up of different types of sugars (bees love sugar).  

There are a couple of reasons that can lead to the crystallization process. 

They range from improper storage (like leaving your honey jar out in the open, not closing it properly…) to the natural process that includes glucose and fructose (sugars that every type of honey contains). 

Some types of honey crystallize completely, while others will crystallize partially. 

So, before I tell you how to properly store honey (to avoid crystallization), let me first tell you about the process that leads to crystallization.

Glucose and Fructose

Honey can be described as a highly concentrated sugar solution. More than 70% of honey are sugars (glucose and fructose) and less than 20% of it is water (that’s where the “highly concentrated” part comes from). 

So, what does all of that mean? Well, it means (simply put) that honey has more sugars than it should naturally be able to hold. 

The crystallization process happens, when glucose and fructose bind together to form tiny crystals (that’s why it’s called crystallized honey).

Depending on the balance between glucose and fructose (as well as other substances that are contained in honey) some types of honey will crystallize faster than others. 

Crystallization is a naturally occurring process that can be “postponed” by keeping your glass jar of honey in a proper manner (properly stored). 

But, even if you don’t do that, don’t worry! If the honey that you are using is really natural, then even when crystallized it’s safe to eat (some people like it crunchy).

Now, if you are not a fan of crystallized honey (you don’t like the extra crunchiness), don’t fret, there is a way to reverse the process, and get yourself the liquid honey you (presumably) bought in the first place. How? Well, keep reading to get your answer.

How to Decrystallize Honey?

When your honey jar does crystallize, there are ways to combat that and return it to the previous form (without crystals). 

Some people like crystallized honey and find it easier to spread (on toast for example). 

If you are not a fan of crystallized honey and are thinking about buying another jar, I’ve got some good news for you, you don’t have to do that. Why?

Because there is a way (actually a couple of ways) to decrystallize honey and make it smooth again.

Put Your Honey Jar in Warm Water

Your honey has crystallized and you are unsure what to do? You are thinking about buying a new jar, but it feels like a waste, as you still have a lot of honey left? 

Here’s a simple “trick”, that you can do to restore your honey into a more liquid form than it had before crystallization (some people prefer liquid honey to crystallized one).

First, warm up some water (how you do that it’s up to you). After you’ve done heating water, get yourself a large bowl that can fit the container you keep your honey in. 

Put your container filled with honey inside the bowl and pour the hot water around it. And that’s it. Now, you just have to wait for those little crystals to break up.

And, how long you’ll wait will depend on the amount of honey and the level to which it was crystallized. If it’s taking too long, you can add more hot water, to speed up the process (it won’t happen quickly, presumably you will have to wait a couple of minutes). 

This is by far the safest and easiest solution when it comes to decrystallizing your honey.

Using a Microwave

This method requires you to have a microwave (really? How’d you figure that?). But, to ensure you do this method safely (meaning it does not lead to an explosion) there are some things you need to keep in mind.

Before you start heating the honey, you need to make sure your honey is in a microwave-safe container, and that the lid is removed.

Ceramics and glass are usually the safest options. If you are using a plastic container, make sure it’s marked as safe to use in a microwave. 

The next thing you should do is microwave the honey for around 30 seconds, on medium heat. This method will lead to decrystallization much more quickly than the previously mentioned one.

The only downside is, that with this method (if you are not careful) you can accidentally boil or burn your honey (which will, in turn, make it less delicious, and will impact its taste). 

Most plastic containers that honey comes in should not be used in a microwave, so be extremely mindful about that, before trying out this method.

FAQ

Is Crystallized Honey Safe to Consume?

The only difference between crystallized honey and the one that is not crystallized is the texture (which can lead some people to believe the taste is different as well, but that is not always the case).

What does that mean? It means that crystallized honey is still safe to consume. 

The only reason why you shouldn’t eat it is if you don’t like the texture or extra crunchiness (that crystals made up of glucose and fructose are responsible for). 

We’ve talked about a couple of ways you can get rid of the crystals (decrystallize the honey). 

It’s completely natural for honey to crystallize.

What Is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is the type of honey that does not go through the process of pasteurization (exposing substances to high temperatures in order to remove impurities) [1]. 

Raw honey is filled with antioxidants and is widely considered to be the type of honey that has the most health benefits. 

Raw honey is as close to honey that can be found in the hive. It’s natural and does not contain any added sugars (and, if you ask me, it’s the most delicious type of honey that bees can make!). 

Raw honey is amazing (for real! I mean it!), but it does contain bee pollen, to which some people are allergic [2]. 

If you are allergic to this type of pollen (or bees themselves) you should talk to your doctor before eating this type of honey (and probably any other type of honey, like unfiltered honey).

What Is Pure Honey?

Pure honey should mean that the container of honey you are buying only, contains honey (no added sugar, or artificial sweeteners). 

That’s not always the case (sadly) as some manufacturers like to misrepresent their products. 

How To Store Honey?

There are a couple of things you should keep in mind if you want to store your honey properly. 

First, make sure that your honey container is in a cool and dry place. For proper storage, the temperature should not exceed the standard room temperature of around 18C.

Keep your container away from heat, moisture and direct exposure to sunlight. Don’t store your honey in metal containers as it may lead to oxidation (which can affect the taste and texture of honey).

The Bottom Line 

Some types of honey contain pollen (made by bees), which some people can be allergic to. Be sure to talk to your doctor before consuming any type of honey (if you are allergic to bees).

Raw honey is as close to honey that is “straight from the hive” as you can get. It has more antioxidants than any other type of honey. 

Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? Is there such a thing as too much honey?

Well, of course, there is! And that also applies to honey. 

Honey does have a lot of health benefits, but it also has a lot of calories. So, the question now becomes how to find the balance between those two? How much honey should you eat each day? 

These questions, and much more, will be answered in the article below. So, if you are interested in finding out more about honey, and the amount of honey you should be consuming, just keep reading.

Sit back, relax, and let me tell you a little bit about honey and how much of it you should eat per day.

Health Benefits Of Honey

There are a lot of reasons why eating honey is good for your overall health. 

Before I tell you how much honey should you take, let me first tell you a couple of reasons why you should eat it! 

Honey has a lot of antioxidant properties. The type of honey that has the most antioxidants is natural raw honey, as it does not go through the process of pasteurization. 

If you want to add antioxidants to your diet, you should definitely consider eating raw honey! 

Secondly, medical research has shown that it has a positive impact on some types of cancer (i.e. has anti-cancer properties) [1].

Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial ones [2].

Natural honey is really healthy and it does not only help in disease prevention, but it can also improve your overall health. 

If you want to get your hands on some high-quality natural honey be sure to check out the HoneyJoy shop.

Recommended Amount of Honey

If you want to be healthier you should definitely include honey in your diet (especially if you want to get all of those sweet minerals and healthy amino acids into your body!).

Daily intake of honey is great for your overall health. 

But, before you start doing just that, you should be properly informed about the number of calories honey may contain (as we don’t want you to gain weight, especially if you are on a strict diet).

So, how many calories and sugar does one tablespoon of honey have?

One tablespoon of honey (approximately 25 grams) contains around 60 calories. Compared to that, a tablespoon of sugar has less, around 50. 

But, fewer calories does not mean that table sugar is healthier than honey (it’s quite the opposite really!). 

Honey contains sugar, and as such will increase your blood sugar levels. 

The two main sugars that honey consists of are called fructose and glucose. Those two sugars (fructose and glucose) are naturally found in flower nectar (that bees use to make honey).

Eating too much honey can cause weight gain, and that is why it’s important to know the recommended amount of honey you should eat on a daily basis. 

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 3 tablespoons of honey per day. 

Why? 

Well because the amount of sugar that is contained in honey can cause weight gain as well as other problems related to gaining weight (3 tablespoons of honey have around 60 grams of sugar). 

So, even though honey is considered to be a super-food (as it does not spoil) and is a great addition to almost any diet it’s still important not to eat too much of it (as I’ve said at the beginning of this article, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing!).

Eating honey is good for your overall health, but you should not overdo it! 

FAQ

What Is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is the closest thing to “honey straight from the hive”, that you can get. It has more antioxidant properties than any other type of honey [3].

This type of honey does not contain any added sugars and is considered by many, to be the healthiest option, when it comes to honey.

How Much Sugar Should I Eat?

There is no nutritional benefit from eating added sugar (I am talking about table sugar). 

Because of that, medical professionals do not recommend eating more than 3 tablespoons of “just sugar” per day.

How Many Tablespoons Of Honey Should You? 

The recommended amount is no more than 3, each day (as honey does contain a lot of sugar). 

How Many Calories A Day Should I Have?

How many indeed? Well, it’s all based upon your gender, your activity, as well as your age.

Speaking in general terms, the calorie intake for men should be around 2500 and around 2000 for adult females. 

The Bottom Line

Honey is considered to be a super-food. But, even though it’s great and safe to consume, it does not mean that you should consume it in high amounts (I mean you could, but based on what medical professionals think, you probably shouldn’t). 

If choosing to use honey that does not have any added sugar (raw honey is a great example of that), you should not be eating more than 60 grams (around 9 teaspoons) of honey per day. 

If you want to improve your diet and make it healthier, you could try to replace table sugar with honey (in your recipes, for example). 

Sugaring or sugar waxing is a process for removing unwanted body hair.

The sugar wax method has grown in popularity due to its exfoliating and hydrating results, natural ingredients, and zero-waste, non-toxic, and eco-friendly approach.

However, you should know that sugaring is based on people’s personal experiences and anecdotal evidence. There is minimal clinical research to support sugar waxing over traditional waxing [1].

Also, using honey sugar wax to remove hair takes practice and testing to get it right for your skin. Results, though, are worth the effort.

And like with any other homemade remedy, make sure you patch test first.

Now that we have those warnings out of the way, it’s time to go through the recipe.

Looking for other uses of honey in skincare? Check out our honey for skin and face article.

Honey Sugar Wax Recipe

Sugar wax recipe with honey is easy to make and requires only a couple of ingredients – honey, sugar and water.

The best part about it is that you won’t have to worry about some nasty chemicals that come with other hair waxing products, as this recipe only includes 100% natural ingredients.

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 2 teaspoons of sugar (preferably brown) and 1 teaspoon of water. 
2. Put the mixture in a microwave-safe bowl (because the next part involves heating the mixture). Alternatively, you can just put the whole thing in a pot and put it on a stove. The main thing is to heat everything!
3. Heat it until it starts bubbling or until it changes to brown. Make sure not to overdo it, as the mixture will become too hard to use for waxing (if you make a mistake, don’t worry!). Putting it in a microwave for around 30 seconds should do the trick.
4. Let it cool off.
5. After the cooling process, check the thickness of the mixture. If you are satisfied with it, proceed to the next step. If not, do the previous steps all over again (if it’s too thick, you can add a little water to it).
6. Now it’s time to do some actual waxing. Let’s go!
7. Apply the honey to the part of the body you want to remove hair from (anywhere you have facial hair).
8. Put the cloth strip over the honey-sugar paste and smooth it out in the direction of hair growth. For a cloth strip, you can use anything that’s made out of cloth. What’s important is to cut it into strips.
9. Wait a couple of minutes, and then “gently” rip the strip off. And, that’s it, you’ve successfully used a homemade honey product for waxing! Congrats!

How to Use Honey Sugar Wax for Hair Removal?

It’s really easy! After you’ve made your own honey-wax mixture, it’s all about spreading it evenly on the hair you want to remove. 

You apply the sugaring mix in the opposite direction that the hair grows and remove it in the direction that it grows. Make sure to patch test first to ensure the wax doesn’t cause irritation.

Benefits of Sugaring and Honey Wax

Natural Ingredients

People choose sugaring because it is a natural solution that doesn’t include additives, chemicals, or preservatives that are commonly found in conventional waxes.

Easy to Remove

You can remove honey sugar wax easily and quickly just by rinsing it with water.

Less Painful and Longer Lasting

Honey sugar wax is applied warm (not hot) and is removed in the direction of hair growth. This makes it comfortable and less likely to cause skin irritation.

Cheap

Sugar wax with honey is affordable and you already have sugar and water at home. If you don’t have honey, you can buy cheap honey online and you are set.

Side Effects

Does sugar waxing have side effects? Generally not, particularly if you have experience using homemade hair removal remedies.

Users have reported that sugar waxing works even on sensitive skin. However, it works better for areas of the body with soft hair, such as hair on the legs, back or chest. 

Sugar waxing may not be appropriate for eyebrows, upper lip or armpit hair.

If you are not sure, it is best to speak to your dermatologist first before trying home remedies.

FAQ

Is Homemade Sugar Wax Safe?

If you do it properly, sugaring is generally safe. Just make sure not to burn yourself when making the wax and remember to always patch test first.

Does Sugar Waxing Hurt?

Sugar wax is a completely natural solution that binds to the hair, not to the skin. This means that sugaring doesn’t pull the skin, which causes discomfort in traditional waxing.

The Bottom Line

If you have undesirable body hair, you can remove it with a variety of methods that have varying degrees of permanency. For different areas of the body, different procedures may be recommended. 

If you’re thinking about making your own honey wax, be sure you know the safest and most effective methods. Make sure honey wax is a good fit for your hair removal needs by seeing your dermatologist.